Harvest has arrived in the heart of the Russian River Valley.   Help us celebrate the best of the region's bounty with a feast showcasing some of the unique, indigenous foods that make this area in which we live so special and recognizing the producers - current and future - who keep these time-honored traditions alive.  

Held at the beautiful MacMurray Ranch, this harvest event will feature a 4-course meal showcasing local heritage foods highlighted on the list of the Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste Program.   Slow Food USA introduced the Ark of Taste Project in 1996 to raise awareness and support for endangered foods and gastronomic traditions in America - and ensure that they retain a central place at our table and culture.

In honor of the Ark of Taste project, the harvest event will feature local grains, vegetables and fruits for guests to taste and an auction of live heritage turkeys. Through our Ark USA project, Slow Food has adopted 10 traditional turkey varieties near extinction - including the Narragansett, the Bourbon Red, and the Standard Bronze. Our Russian River convivium, in collaboration with other Sonoma County service groups, is working with and providing support to local 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) members to reintroduce these varieties to the market.   A portion of the funds raised from this event will benefit these heritage-food projects.

The Menu , prepared by Sonoma County chef, caterer and Slow Food member Bruce Riezenman, will include additional items highlighted on the Slow Food Ark list, including Heritage Turkeys, the Charbono Grape of California, and the Gravenstein Apple of Sonoma County, all paired with Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley.

Tickets are $65 and are available online at Brown Paper Tickets. For more information email info@slowfoodrr.org or call 707-824-8448.

Program

3:00 Cheese & Wine Reception
Heritage Turkey's and Ark products and information on display
Silent Auction & Raffle Begin

4:00 Remarks from Michael Dimock, Slow Food International,
Chairman Emeritus, Slow Food USA

4:15  Scott Gerber and John Martins Cowboy Music and Poetry

4:30 Meal

5:30 Live Auction: Heritage Breed Turkeys for your Thanksgiving Meal

6:30 Silent Auction ends & Raffle winners Announced

7:00 Event Ends

Introduction to home canning
A canning demonstration at the home of members,
Keith Borglum and Diane Cate.

What
Keith Borglum and Diane Cate are experienced amateur home-canners, and winners of dozens of Sonoma County Fair and Harvest Fair canning awards, plus Best of Show and the Ball (jar) Canning Award at the 2004 Sonoma County Harvest Fair, at which point they retired from competitive canning.

This event is to provide an introduction to the home-canning of hot-pack acid-based vegetable produce, the safest kind of canning; in this case probably herbed tomato sauce or vegan stew, depending on the crop readiness in their gardens and orchard. The sauce will be already cooked and ready for canning at the start of the event, since the cooking process is typically done overnight. A few attendees are welcome to also participate in picking and prepping on Saturday if they wish, by calling 576-7250. Attendees will learn how to do home canning from start to finish. Jars of finished sauce will not be released to attendees because they need overnight to cool and allow the tops to seal, and to avoid liability; therefore no charge for the event.

Attendees should wear long sleeves and pants upon which they don't mind getting a little tomato sauce, and closed-shoes in case a glass jar of boiling sauce should drop and shatter. No one with visible skin below the knees will be allowed to be hands-on or in the kitchen.

Canning will be done in sequential 5-6 person groups hands-on around the workstations, plus another 5-10 watching in preparation for the next batch. Each "batch" takes approximately 30-40 minutes. Others can wander the organic gardens and orchards with approximately 100 varieties of fruit.

Where
Home of Keith Borglum and Diane Cate
Please contact Colette Hatch for directions and to reserve your spot.

Sustainable Seafood Salon July 2006
Gastronomique Smells Fishy. Content and images by
Cedric Westphal
The Slow Food Russian River Convivium came down to San Francisco Sunday July 23rd for a Sustainable Seafood Salon and Feast, A panel discussion on the issues of sustainability in fishing in the Northern California coast was held at the Ferry Building and the Feast was held at Hayes Street Grill. You guys remember we narrowly escaped having no local wild salmon on our plates this year, and it is only one example of fishing going awry. Here's a riddle. You invite a fisherman, his lobbyist, and his sales channel, ie. a fishmonger and a restaurateur, and what do you get? Not an all knives out fight, for sure. More like hugs and kisses, and lots and lots of fish knowledge. The congregation of the above-mentioned people was assembled to discuss sustainable seafood at the invite of the Slow Food convivium of the Russian River. From the Latin: con (with, together), and vivium (to live), that's much warmer than "chapter" or "group." It's all a big family. Maybe they all came down from West Sonoma in the same minivan.

Panel members were moderator Patricia Unterman, chef and owner of Hayes Street Grill and Examiner food critic as well; Steve Fitz, a salt-of-the-earth Half Moon Bay sand dabs fisherman; Tom Worthington, from Monterey Fish Market; Zeke Grader, from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association; and Sheila Bowman, outreach coordinator for Seafood Watch, a program of the Monterey Aquarium to educate about sustainable fishing. We have to say we are a bit grumpy they provided a panel with only first rate, interesting, opinionated people and no one to make fun of. The Panel included sustainable seafood creations from Hayes Street Grill, Seaweed Cafe in Bodega Bay and Barndiva Restaurant in Healdsburg, all washed down with wines from Organic Vintners.

All members of the panel were pretty much on the same page, but this does not mean that their message is not important. To sum it up: eat seafood, but be cautious about what you eat. Some fish is harvested in a sustainable manner, which means that there is no risk of depleting the stocks in the long run, and some is not. Just say no to Chilean seabass. Whenever you purchase fish, vote with your wallet and only get the one that is sustainable. And check Seafood Watch for updated information on what you can eat.

A good rule of thumb: eat local as much as you can. We are blessed here in San Francisco to have fish a'plenty in the water licking our toes. Hard-learned lessons (California overfishing pretty much wiped out sardines in the 50s) and fishing regulations, which Steve Fitz described with a despair-tainted common sense ("There is some guy in Washington following the trace of the GPS on my boat") pretty much ensure that coastal waters are protected from overharvesting.

Another good rule: be curious about what fish you eat. People mostly want to eat salmon, tuna and shrimp. But there are other stocks which are under-utilized: say, herring, sardines, anchovies. These are delicious, but suffer from a PR deficit, something we experienced first hand when we brought fresh sardines to a BBQ only to anger our hosts, being asked in essence if we really really wanted to stink the sh*t up in the place. Zeke suggested serving those under-appreciated species in schools, because --a win-win twofer-- we could educate the palate, and "we know that with fish oil, kids would pay attention." Squid used to be one of these ostracized fish, and look, now it's on every menu.

Eating local won't get you no farmed salmon: a law was passed in CA to ban ocean rearing of non-indigeneous species or genetically modified ones. The panel unanimously acknowledges that farming was good for some species (trout, tilapia, catfish, shellfish like clams, oysters and mussels) but not so good for the Atlantic salmon. Salmon is carnivorous, so one has to fish some feed for the salmon farm, a very wasteful idea. Stay away from that farmed stuff.

Of course, warned Zeke, such sound environmental law will be debated by, who else, oil companies, who are trying to get their connections in the administration to allow for pisciculture at the site of their old oil platforms. These are outside state waters, and the oil companies could get out of their leases without removing the platforms, a costly procedure. We know how much Texaco is hurting right now, so there is no doubt they will find a friendly hear in the White House. Zeke pointed out that recreational fishermen in Texas who fish near oil rigs have 60 times the level of mercury in their organs, which is not a good thing. Maybe farming fish there is not such a swell idea.

If someone tries to sell you some organic fish, you must know that there is no USDA certification for fish and seafood. There is no organic seafood in California, and it is illegal to advertise any. Also, be wary of the Marine Stewardship Council label, according to the panel members, all advocates for the little guys -- it is a front from Unilever and other heavy weights of the agroindustry to act virtuous. It's the same as Budweiser telling you not to drink and drive, or Exxon telling you they are investing in clean energies. The MSC label is granted to those who meet only 80% of the label criteria, and once given, the next review is 5 years down the line. Plus, if one wants to bring up a complaint to the Council, one must pony up $3,000, a sure way to curtain dissent from the little people.

The last lesson we'll share with you is that: you must protect the environment, not just prevent overfishing. Damming the San Joaquin river had California shut down the salmon fishery in 1956. Polution in the Klamath bassin this year has strongly reduced the salmon season. Protecting the habitat is a good idea, both for us and for the fish.

Well, actually the very last lesson of the Sustainable Seafood meeting was thus: you can eat some very good fish at Hayes Street Grill, where a fundraiser was being hosted for Slow Food Russian River afterwards. To list: Monterey Bay anchovies, lightly fried and dipped in ailoi; Monterey Bay Calamari, still lukewarm when topping a decadent tomato bruschetta (picture right); a halibut carpaccio with a drizzle of the most flavorous olive oil; a grilled sardine, rich and fresh, with none of the strong taste of the low-rate versions; a buttery-as-hell whole sand dab with just a bit of crisped skin, which was just the best fish we have eaten in a long while; and a white sea bass filet under a butter sauce on a bed of succotash. This was a special menu for the fundraiser, but the sand dabs for instance, fished by panel member Steve Fitz himself, are on the regular menu ($21.95 with French fries). They are sustainable, and they are amazingly delicious.

Hayes Street Grill
320 Hayes Street @ Franklin
tel: 863-5545

Other Articles | Help save our oceans, seafood, and environment

Cracking the true story of Crab –
A Winter’s Delicacy and a yearly controversy
A Meal and Conversation with North Bay Crab Industry Stakeholders

The Slow Food Russian River convivium hosted a crab-dinner and stakeholder panel discussion on the issues surrounding North Coast crab fishing. The event was held on Sunday afternoon, January 22 at Willowside Hall in Santa Rosa.

The North Bay is known for many exquisite food products from apples to Zinfandel wine, but perhaps none evokes more mouth-watering anticipation than crab. They are still caught by local fisherman in small boats, where skill, weather and stewardship combine to determine the scale of bounty.

In recent years, issues surrounding quotas, price, and the sustainability of the crab fleet have made the news. The crabber's strike this past November was publicly explained as an impasse over-pricing with a single processor and impacted thousands of Bay Area Thanksgiving dinners. But the reasons behind this controversy are much more complicated and will be explored at the pre-dinner, panel discussion.

We had a delicious meal that included local crab, seasonal organic artichokes and salad, local artisan breads, beer and wine. The feast was preceded by a moderated discussion with 3 industry stakeholders in the effort to build a sustainable crab fishery.

The Panel :
Tom Moore, California Department of Fish & Game, Bodega Bay. Tom is a 25-year employee and is the North Coast’s head-biologist for Fish & Game.

Chuck Wise, North Coast crab fisherman and President of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman. PCFFA is the west coast’s largest and most politically active commercial fishermen trade association.

Tom Worthington, Co-owner Monterey Fish Market, one of the Bay Area's most sustainable fish distributors.

Michael Dimock, Chairman of the Board, Slow Food USA, will moderate the panel.

Schedule
2:30 pm Appetizers & Aperitif
3:00 pm Panel Discussion
4:00 pm Meal

Terra Madre Fundraiser with Michael Pollan at Silverado Brewing Company in St. Helena, CA
Content and images by Joanne White of Fork & Bottle

The Invitation:
“Join best-selling author and former Harpers Magazine executive-editor, Michael Pollan, for a Slow Food Wine Country dinner and discussion of his new book "The Omnivore's Dilemma".

The dinner discussion focused on local vs. organic food procurement, the increasing challenges of industrial foods, and the important philosophical alternative of the Slow Food movement.

All proceeds were to benefit the Slow Food Terre Madre sustainable-agricultural conference in Turin, Italy this Fall, and to underwrite the travel for Mexican farmers and producers. "The Omnivore's Dilemma" was available for signing and purchase.”

Michael Pollan’s talk about his book was truly inspiring. The marriage of food to petroleum was very much a recurring theme in his talk – how the globalization of food had changed the food chain. He also touched on Big Business Organics, mentioning the opening of Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s across from the Greenmarket in Union Square, NYC and how the grass fed beef at Whole Foods was from New Zealand while Hudson Valley raised beef was simultaneously being sold at the Greenmarket

Dinner Menu
All dishes were created using only natural and organic ingredients gathered primarily from local producers.

Goat’s Leap Eclipse Cheese Model Bakery Organic Pain au Levain
The Eclipse was served at almost room temperature bringing out the smooth creaminess and the almost mineral characteristics. Perfect paired with the bread or alone! Eclipse is a small round of goat cheese which is covered in ash and the natural white rind forms on top of the ash. It also has a thin layer of ash through the center making a pretty presentation when sliced. The round is garnished with a star anise.

Grilled Salinas Artichoke w/ Forni Brown Greens, Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette w/ McEvoy Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Niman Ranch Bacon & Pt. Reyes Dipping Sauce
I really didn’t realize how amazing bacon and artichoke go together. Add in the garlic and this dish was made to be savored. I don’t recall having Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese dipping sauce before, but it was memorable and I will seek it out!

Niman Ranch Heirloom Pork Chamorro Sauteed Star Route Chard & Roasted Tomatillo Chili Verde, Organic Giusto’s Polenta w/ Vella Dry Jack Cheese
I can’t tell you how delicious this dish was. The pork was like pork osso buco (Chamorro means leg of pork) and was falling off the bone. All the elements were in perfect balance. The Chili Verde was the perfect compliment to the polenta and pork. I can still taste it. The marrow in the pork bone had melted and a bit could be scooped out.

Guittard Chocolate Porter Cake
House Caramel & Straus Dairy Whipped Cream. Garnished w/ Harbin Mint.
A basic chocolate cake but perfectly moist with great accompaniments. Great! I personally have an issue with Guittard as their white chocolate has partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient.

The dinner was enjoyed with Silverado Brewing Company’s Blonde and Pale Ales and wine from Atalon Winery, La Jota Vineyard, V. Sattui Winery, OnTheEdge Winery, Titus Vineyards and Galen Cellars.
Each table was supplied with a selection of bottles and beer was served in pitchers. We sampled Titus Vineyards' "2004 The Ruby Wine Company" a Rose made from Cabernet Franc, Titus Vineyards Zinfandel, 1990 V. Sattui Zinfandel (which was surprisingly drinkable) and the 2000 Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon & the 2002 La Jota Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. I tried the IPA and the Amber from the Silverado Brewing Company and enjoyed the Amber and would recommend it.